| OCT 31 Written by: Cherleen Aquino
10/31/2012 4:47 PM |  November Outdoor Living Newsletter |
Cooking in Foil
Cooking in foil is the most convenient way of preparing food when camping because it requires fewer steps. You also do not need to scrub pots and pans or wash smoke-stained dishes after everybody has eaten. Here are some tips that you can follow when cooking in foil to prepare wonderful meals and some delicious foiled-wrapped camping recipes.
Tips for Cooking in Foil
- Get the foil packets ready before leaving for your camping trip and place them in a cooler so that you can simply toss the packets on the fire when you reach the campground.
- Use durable and heavy-duty foil to avoid burning the food and tearing the packet. You do not want to have ash as an additional ingredient in your meal.
- If you are using a regular foil, it is highly recommended that you utilize two foil sheets for each packet.
- Cut the foil twice the length of the food you will be wrapping to ensure sufficient space for the food you will wrap.
- Food will eventually be cooked regardless which side of the foil you use.
- Before putting the ingredients in the foil, spray with cooking spray the side of the foil where you are going to put them or add some butter or olive oil on each foil packetso that food will not burn and stick to the foil.
- Use combinations of meat and your favorite vegetables for a more appetizing meal.
- Add some butter or olive oil on each foil packet so that food will not burn and stick to the foil.
- Season each foil packet for a more flavorful dish. It will make other campers think you are a professional cook.
- When putting the ingredients on the foil, do the assembly-line method, instead of packing one foil at a time. It saves time and energy. For example, lay out five foils on the table. Place the meat for each foil packet, and then add the vegetables on each foil packets. Next, season each packet with desired spices, and so on.
- Place the meat on the foil first and put it on the bottom because it consumes most time to cook.
- Use canned vegetables if you cannot wait for hard vegetables, such as potatoes and carrots, to cook.
- Add some vegetables that contains high amount of moisture, like onions and tomatoes, to prevent meat from drying out.
- Flat pack or tent pack? Make flat packs when you want to brown your meat rather than steaming them. Tent pack is best for fruits, vegetables, or meat-vegetable combination as it allows more space for steaming.
- Double seal the foil packet. Fold the foil twice to lock the moisture inside the packet.
- Allow some room for the heat to circulate inside the packet.
- Avoid cooking foil packets over high fire. Foil cooking is best done over small fire or white hot coals.
- Wait for the campfire to get white hot before cooking to make sure everything cooks right through properly and quickly.
- While cooking, flip the foil packets every 5 minutes to ensure it is cooked evenly and frequently check the food inside to see how the cooking progresses.
- When food has cooked, carefully open the foil packet as steam has formed inside the packet, which can burn you.
Favorite Foil Campfire Recipes
Here are some simple yet delicious foil-wrapped campfire recipes for you to try. You can also do these at home during a weekend barbecue on your backyard with your family and friends.
1. Campfire Veggie Mix
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 large carrot, chopped
- 1 large potato, chopped
- 1 medium green bell pepper, sliced
- 1 can button mushroom
- 1 tbsp. dry onion soup mix
- 1 tbsp. butter
| - 2 tbsp. chicken broth or water
- 2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup cheddar cheese, grated
- 1 tbsp. fresh parsley, minced
- 1 thick slice butter
- Salt and pepper
|
Instructions
1. Arrange carrot, potato, bell pepper, and mushroom on a large sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil.
2. Mix dry soup, butter, chicken broth, and Worcestershire sauce in a separate bowl. Pour the mixture over the vegetable assembly.
3. Place the slice of butter over the vegetable assembly.
4. Season the vegetable assembly with salt and pepper.
5. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and fresh parsley.
6. Seal the foil packet. Double fold the center and ends of the packetto ensure that there is no hole or opening.
7. Cook over low fire.
2. Campfire Potatoes
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 large baking potatoes, scrubbed
- 1 tbsp. dry onion soup mix
| - 2 tbsp. water
- 1 tbsp. butter
|
Instructions
1. Cut the potato into 5 or 6 slices.
2. Lay out the potato slices in an aluminum foil sheet.
3. Sprinkle the foil packet with dry soup, water and butter.
4. Seal the foil packet. Double fold the center as well as the ends of the packet.
5. Cook the foil packet over hot coals. To check if potatoes are done, press the edge of the potato with edge of the fork and it feels soft.
3. Chicken-Potato Packets
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 piece boneless, skinless chicken breast, halved
- 1 medium red potato, cut in 1/2" cubes
- 1/2 cup frozen green peas
- 3 oz. chicken gravy
| |
Instructions
1. Cut the potato in half-inch cubes.
2. Lay the chicken breast in a sheet of aluminum foil.
3. Arrange the potatoes and green peas over the chicken breast.
4. Pour the chicken gravy in the foil packet.
5. Season the vegetable assembly with salt, pepper and dried thyme.
6. Double fold the foil packet to ensure that it is properly sealed.
7. Cook over low fire, turning the chicken packet every five minutes.
4. Apricot-Glazed Pork Chops
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 piece boneless pork chop
- 1/3 cup apricot preserves
- 1 tbsp. soy sauce
- 1/2 pack frozen mixed vegetables
| - Garlic powder
- Salt
- Pepper
|
Instructions
1. Mix apricot preserves, soy sauce, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
2. Place a slice of pork chop at the center of an aluminum foil sheet.
3. Arrange the vegetables on top of the pork chop.
4. Pour the apricot sauce mixture over the meat.
5. Wrap the pork chop assembly and seal each foil packet tightly.
6. Cook over hot coals or a campfire.
5. Pineapple Upside Donut Cake
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 5 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 piece cake donut
- 1 piece pineapple ring
| - 1 tbsp. butter, softened
- 1 tbsp. brown sugar
|
Instructions
1. Place cake donut on the center of an aluminum foil sheet.
2. Lay the pineapple ring over the cake donut.
3. Mix softened butter and brown sugar. Pour the mixture over the donut-pineapple assembly.
4. Wrap the foil packet tightly in a flat pack.
5. Cook over hot coals or a campfire.
Have fun with while cooking in foil! Enjoy the food but be careful when opening the foil to avoid burning yourself and getting scorched.
Copyright ©2012 Camping Road Trip, LLC
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